Idea to shorten election cycle gains little support

One state Senator’s idea to compress the general election campaign in Iowa is getting a cold shoulder from a potential candidate for Governor in 2002. Senator Andy McKean suggests moving the June primary to September so the general election campaign’s just two months long. Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows may run for Governor, and he’s not sold on the shorter campaign schedule. Iverson says the June primary works very well.House Speaker Brent Siegrist, a republican from Council Bluffs, is also considering a bid for governor, and he’s not ready to rewrite the election calendar.Backers of the move say it might mean the candidates would have less time to tear each other up. Siegrist, standing by his potential opponent Iverson, joked this past week that republicans don’t have nasty primary battles.That’s Iverson with the distinctive laugh. Siegrist is the one who talked about “planting a wet one” on his opponent’s cheek.